Best Treats for Backyard Chickens (Ranked)

The Best Treats for Backyard Chickens, Ranked

Every backyard chicken keeper loves spoiling their flock with treats. But not all treats are created equal — some deliver real nutritional value, while others are empty calories. This ranking evaluates chicken treats by nutrition, palatability, convenience, and cost.

#1: Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL)

Protein: 17% | Calcium: 9,340 mg/kg | Ca:P: 6.92:1

BSFL take the top spot because they deliver what chickens need most: protein for feathers and egg production, plus the highest calcium of any insect for strong egg shells. Live BSFL provide foraging enrichment through wriggling movement. Dried BSFL store for months at room temperature.

#2: Mealworms (Dried)

Protein: 20% | Calcium: 30 mg/kg | Ca:P: 0.04:1

Dried mealworms are the classic chicken treat — high protein, eagerly consumed, easy to store. Their major weakness is calcium: 311 times less calcium than BSFL. For egg-laying hens, mealworms provide protein but do nothing for shell quality.

#3: Sunflower Seeds (BOSS)

Protein: ~16% | Fat: ~50%

Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) are a popular winter treat — high fat provides energy in cold weather and supports glossy feather growth. Use sparingly in warm weather due to very high fat content.

#4: Scratch Grains

Protein: ~8% | Mostly carbs

Scratch grains (cracked corn, wheat, oats) are the junk food of chicken treats — loved by flocks but nutritionally poor. Use primarily as a training tool or winter calorie boost, not as a regular supplement.

#5: Mealworms (Live)

Same nutrition as dried but with movement enrichment. More expensive and shorter shelf life than dried, but chickens find the hunt exciting. Still lacks the calcium that BSFL provide.

#6: Kitchen Scraps

Vegetable trimmings, fruit scraps, and cooked grains are free and reduce food waste. Nutritional value varies widely depending on what you feed. Avoid avocado, raw potatoes, onions, and chocolate — all are toxic to chickens.

The Treat Comparison

The Bottom Line

If you are going to give your chickens treats — and you should, for enrichment and bonding — make those treats count. BSFL deliver the protein chickens crave with the calcium laying hens desperately need. Every other treat is either lower in nutrition or missing the calcium component entirely.

— Matt, Founder, All Angles Creatures